Greece made a request for aid from Europe's bailout fund Wednesday as it rushed to deliver details of its proposed economic reforms in time to secure the country's future in the euro and avoid a descent into financial chaos.

And here are the remarks from Donald Tusk, president of the European Council

"Almost everybody is talking about the need for unity. But, just like at the European Council, our today's debate has shown how divided we are on the subject of Greece," Tusk's statement said. Read the full statement.

"The negotiation between the Greek government and its partners, which will be completed shortly, seeks to reaffirm Europe’s respect for common operational rules, as well as absolute respect for the democratic choice of our people.

My government and I, personally, came to power about five months ago. But the rescue programs have been in place for about five years. I take full responsibility for what has occurred during these five months. But we should all acknowledge that the primary responsibility for the difficulties that the Greek economy is experiencing today, for the difficulties that Europe is experiencing today, is not the result of choices made in the last five months, but in the five years of implementing programs that did not end the crisis. I want to assure you that, regardless of one’s opinion whether the reform efforts were right or wrong, the fact remains that Greece, and the Greek people, made an unprecedented effort to adjust over the last five years. Extremely difficult, and tough. This effort has exhausted the stamina of the Greek people."

"Speaking in Washington D.C., Lagarde said Greece needs to continue cost cutting reforms. And she added: "The other leg is debt restructuring, which we believe is needed in the particular case of Greece for it to have debt sustainability. That analysis has not changed. It well may be that numbers may have to be revisited but our analysis has not changed."

The IMF and lead eurozone lender Germany are at odds over whether Athens should be offered debt relief -- a request renewed Wednesday by Greece's government. Athens is trying to negotiate a third bailout program -- worth an expected 50 billion euros -- as it faces the risk of losing its euro membership.

The Greek finance ministry says the government has extended bank closures in the country up to and including Monday, maintaining the daily withdrawal limit at 60 euros

Banks were closed and restrictions imposed on June 29, after a heavy volume of withdrawals by depositors threatened lenders with collapse.

The European Central Bank has maintained its level of emergency assistance -- but has demanded higher collateral -- after Greece's bailout program expired on July 1 and the country failed to coverrepayments due to the International Monetary Fund.

European Central Bank President Mario Draghi says it will be "really difficult" to end the Greek crisis and save the country from bankruptcy, in comments made to Italian financial daily Il Sole 24 Ore. He says he does not believe Russia will come to Greece's rescue. (Francois Lenoir/Reuters)

Greece is planning a reform package worth 12 billion euros over two years, more than previously planned, to offset a return to recession after months of difficult negotiations with creditors, the Greek daily Kathimerini reports.

The head of Germany's Bundesbank, Jens Weidmann, says capital controls in Greece should remain in place until a new bailout programme has been agreed. He also says no further central bank liquidity support should be given to its banks.

EU Economics Commissioner Pierre Moscovici is hopeful that a new Greek bailout deal is possible, in exchange for "concrete, complete" reform proposals from Greece's government.

Moscovici said Thursday on France-Inter radio that Thursday is "a decisive day" for Europe, as Greece's creditors await a detailed economic reform plan from Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras' government before a midnight deadline.

I have the sense that the dialogue is established, or restored, and that there is a way out

Greek Energy Minister Panagiotis Lafazanis, leader of the far-left flank of the ruling Syriza party, says he expects an aid deal with creditors "soon" but he opposes a third bailout with tough austerity measures that would stifle growth.

Greece is preparing a reform package worth 12 billion euros over two years, more than previously planned, in an effort to offset a return to recession after months of negotiations with creditors, the Greek newspaper Kathimerini reported.

The European Union will decide on Sunday whether to extend more help to its fiscally floundering member, Greece; or it could reject the country's proposal and subsequently push it out of the EU, observers say.

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble has rejected the notion that Germany should take the lead in solving Greece's debt woes because his country itself benefited from debt forgiveness in the past.

Germany's debts were written down by more than half in 1953, a step which helped launch the country on the path of growth after the destruction of World War II. Greece was among the countries that signed the agreement forgiving Germany.

Schaeuble said the situations "are not comparable" and the comparison "misleading," in response to a questioner at a conference in Frankfurt

Pro-Euro demonstrators shout slogans as they hold Greek and European Union flags in front of the Greek Parliament during a rally at Syntagma square in Athens on Thursday. (Petros Karadjias/Associated Press)

Greek Defence Minister Panos Kammenos says the Greek government's economic reform proposals will be submitted "in the next few hours."

Athens must submit the proposals by midnight Thursday Brussels time, so they can be reviewed by the country's creditors ahead of a summit of European leaders on Sunday.

European creditors have described this as Greece's last chance to produce a credible and realistic list of reforms in order to receive bailout cash and prevent the country from crashing out of the euro.

Greece's energy minister is urging the government not to sign a third bailout, despite the risk of the country being forced out the euro.

Energy Minister Panagiotis Lafazanis told a business conference Thursday that "the choices we have are tough ... but the worst, the most humiliating and unbearable is an agreement that will surrender,loot and subjugate our people and this country."

He said Greece had voted No in last weekend's referendum "and that will not be turned into a humiliating 'Yes."'

The head of the eurogroup has received the proposals of the Greek government that are necessary to discuss a deal by Sunday to stave off financial collapse in the nation.

Beating a midnight deadline by almost two hours, the spokesman for Dutch eurogroup President Jeroen Dijsselbloem tweeted that the proposals were received and that it was "important for institutions to consider these in their assessment" of the Greek situation.

Greece's government has agreed to longstanding demands by creditors to impose sweeping sales tax hikes and cuts in state spending for pensions.

In the text of proposals sent by Athens, and seen by The Associated Press, the government concedes to demands it had previously resisted, mostly on moving various categories of goods and services to higher sales tax rates.

The proposals were sent in a last-ditch effort to reach a deal with rescue lenders after the country's previous program expired and missed repayments to the International Monetary Fund, and Greece was forced to close banks to prevent their collapse under the weight of mass withdrawals.